L&R

Over the past few years, we’ve had the opportunity to travel to many countries and capture magnificent landmarks from the Eiffel Tower in Paris to the bright blue domes in Santorini, but I always felt something was missing and that was capturing the quiet beauty of my hometown – Bangalore. There’s so much character and vibrancy to the city I was born in and I never got around to telling its story through my lens. However, that wish came true when I visited India this summer with my beloved Fuji X100F. I spent many mornings walking through the streets, bustling markets and quiet neighbourhoods to try and capture the true essence of the city. This was truly a homecoming of sorts and these pictures are an ode to my hometown. I post a mix of travel and lifestyle on my Instagram page shot on my Fuji X100F, follow along my journey.  

R was in Budapest for work, and I joined him to spend a perfect weekend in Budapest. With much to do and just a few days to explore the city, I hit the ground running as soon as I got out of the airport. After dropping off my bag at the hotel, I decided to visit the Vajdahunyad Castle, which, as luck would have it, was less than a fifteen-minute walk from our hotel. Set amidst a beautiful park and a lake, this medieval castle looks straight out of a fairytale – the gothic architecture looks simply magnificent. I was meeting R’s colleagues for dinner that evening, so after wandering around a bit, I made my way to the restaurant. R had chosen a Thai restaurant in downtown Budapest – a thriving district full of restaurants, coffee shops and pubs. Though the meal was average at best, the great company more than made up for it. After bidding adieu to his colleagues, R and I hopped onto the brightly lit Budapest Eye to enjoy the night view of the city.

Day Two

We began with breakfast at the palatial New York Café. This place is perpetually crowded, so I suggest getting there early if you want to get a table. Famous for its Renaissance-style architecture, this place is decked in glittering Venetian chandeliers and gold-plated stuccoes. Since R was at work, I got a table for myself, ordered some English breakfast and spent an hour getting lost in this book. My next stop was the imposing 13th-century marvel – Buda Castle, which sits on the southern tip of Castle Hill. You can either take the funicular (cable car) or trek up there, and I highly suggest doing that because you get to enjoy the spectacular views of the Chain Bridge and Danube River as you walk up. I’m not one for most tourist attractions, but this is simply not to be missed. I spent over two hours just basking in the beauty of this place

The sun had just begun to set, and the city was starting to come alive, so R and I made our way towards the Citadella, a fortification located on top of the Gellért Hill. Again, the trek up here is well worth it as you are rewarded with the most captivating view of the city. There’s seriously nothing more beautiful than the vastness of the city unrolling in front of your eyes. We had worked up an appetite with all the walking, so we ended the day with a lovely meal at a place called Búsuló Juhász Étterem, which is just a stone’s throw away from the Citadella. The main course of chicken breast with beluga lentils and beets was easily one of the nicest things I have ever eaten.

Day Three

We covered as many places as we could on the last day of our trip. After a quick breakfast of buttery croissants and black coffee, we jaunted off to the bustling Great Market Hall. There were rows of delicatessen cheeses, cured meats, and freshly brewed palinka everywhere. I bought a bag of Hungarian paprika on a friend’s recommendation and my, oh my, it packs a serious punch. From there, we headed to the Fisherman’s Bastion before making a quick pit stop at the Gellért Thermal Bath. Since it was fully booked, we went to Széchenyi Thermal Bath, where we hopped from one pool to another for over three hours. Though we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, I wouldn’t recommend it, as the changing rooms are, well, a bit mouldy and dirty. Even if you do go there, be sure to book a private cabin, or you’ll have to share a shower with hundreds of strangers. We did a little more gallivanting before finding ourselves with delicious drinks and food at an Italian place called Perfetto (the name couldn’t have been more perfect). As this idyllic summer getaway drew to an end, R and I realised that we live for experiences such as these.

Last year R and I spent a blissful week in Santorini, and somehow I never got around to writing about it. The weather was perfectly warm, and since we were visiting during the shoulder months, the streets were marginally less crowded.

Trip Duration:

One week. Unlike most people who make their base as Oia, we spent the first few days in Fira and Imerovigli before finally making our way to Oia. By doing this, we felt like we explored the island properly.

Where we stayed:

R went all out and booked the best places to stay as we were celebrating our first anniversary. In Fira, we stayed at Villa Soula, a cosy B&B located near the main street. In Imerovigli, we stayed at Abyssanto Suites & Spa – a luxury hotel with a private jacuzzi and an infinity pool. The best thing about this place was that our room was on the upper level, and we could watch the sunrise from our bed. Saving the best for the last, R truly outdid himself when he booked an entire villa for ourselves in Oia. It was a beautifully furnished cave house called Canava View with a huge jacuzzi on the balcony. We spent every evening watching the sunset from our jacuzzi. Absolute bliss!

What we ate:

Gyros, souvlaki, Greek salad. Yum! While we mostly ate at small tavernas, we found some great restaurants. On our first night, we chanced upon a charming garden café in Fira called ‘Kipos‘, and we liked the food and ambience so much that we ate there two nights in a row. There’s nothing more perfect than dining amidst a garden with towering palm trees and twinkling fairy lights. They also offer a wine tasting session where you get to try local wines paired with Cycladic cheeses. Imerovigli Tavern, which overlooks the Caldera is a beautiful spot for a leisurely lunch. Ochre Wine Bistro in Oia offers an expertly curated wine list, and the food is exceptionally good too. Tranquilo in Perissa is a colourful, Carribean-themed beachside café, that’s perfect for a round of drinks and Mediterranean fare.

Getting Around:

The best way to get around the island is by renting a bike. We hired a quad-bike for the first few days and a scooter for the rest.

Top things to do:

Akrotiri: Located at the southern tip of the island, Akrotiri is a Minoan Bronze Age settlement which was buried in a volcanic eruption. You can easily spend a day in here marvelling at the painstaking work that has gone into excavating this place.

Beaches: Of the Island beaches, we visited Red, Perissa and Kamari Beach. We spent an entire afternoon in Kamari lounging under the sun and sipping on cocktails.

Caldera-edge walk: If there’s one thing that we recommend doing, it’s walking along the caldera-edge pathway. It’s a long nine-kilometre walk, so don’t forget to carry a sun hat. The path is peppered with little cafés, antique shops and boutique hotels, so there’s plenty to explore. At sunset, make sure to climb up the Byzantine Castle Ruins, for magnificent views of the setting sun.

Volcano cruise: The boat cruise is a must-do as you get to trek the volcano-islet of Palia Kameni, which was last active in 1950. After that, you get to jump off the boat and swim to the hot springs.

Insta-worthy spots: The whole place! The whitewashed houses with blue domes; sunlounger-filled beaches, cobbled promenades, windmills. I particularly liked walking through the maze-like alleyways of Oia and stopping to snap pictures of all the houses shaded by the fuschia-hued bougainvillaea creepers.